A Brief Glimpse
by Teamo-Seto
Summary: Cosette and Enjolras only caught a glimpse of each other. But even a glimpse is enough to haunt. C/E No set actors in mind. Perhaps a bit of Ramin Karimloo for Enjolras...


AN/: I am so sorry for being this inactive. What has it been? Two years?

This was spawned by the fact that I am in Les Miserables at my school as Cosette, and my boyfriend (love you Caleb) is playing Enjolras. Also, there seems to be a severe lack of Cosette/Enjolras. I personally think it could be adorable. Enjoy! I redid the formatting so it would make sense this time.

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><p>A Brief Glimpse<p>

Cosette only got a brief glimpse of him as she walked down the street with her Papa. For a few seconds, she saw the boy in the red vest that had spoken so strongly about revolution. She remembered his every feature, even more than she remembered those of her Marius. He was beautiful in his own way, she noticed. Cosette had not seen many men, but she had noticed those walking down the street. The boy's appearance was less than Marius in her eyes, of course, but at the same time, she could not help but admire him. He carried himself with pride and confidence in the manner of a man who knew his place in the world. He stood tall, giving strength and hope to those around him who he saw needed it. He had enough strength in him to watch for himself, his friends, and even to encompass France itself. He was strong in his soul, and for his case, that seemed to be the only thing about himself that he cared for.

What had struck Cosette the most deeply about the boy in the red vest, however, was his voice. He spoke with rage and power, cutting through the clamor of the streets like a knife. He spoke the truth that many dared not to even think of. He was charismatic, she assumed, and even though she considered herself a very peaceful creature, she felt slightly stirred up after his words. He truly seemed to care about the people who were in the classes below him, which astonished her. How much love was contained in that man's soul? She almost wished she could have spoken to him more, to understand what he fought for, and why he believed what he believed. But then she remembered the brief second that they had made eye contact. His eyes were an ice blue, she remembered vividly. They sparked with intelligence and with passion. It sent a shiver down her spine at the intensity in that stare. His eyes had almost seemed to say, "Join me! We need you!" After he broke eye contact with her, though, Cosette still had felt the need to follow him, but her papa's pull on her arm brought her back to reality.

Now, as she sat in her room, she pondered the two men that she had met on the street. The first was her Marius, who she loved with all her soul. He was gentle, kind, and had opened his heart to her. Her world was now centered on Marius, and she could only pray to God that he felt even an inkling of such affection for her. Then, her mind would wander to the other boy. She wondered about the women that would fall in love with him, and she pondered which ones he would accept. After a few moments thought, she decided that none of them would be accepted by the boy in the red vest. After the look she saw in his eye, she doubted that he would accept anyone else into his heart. He was passionate, but guarded. She still daydreamed though, as she so often did, about how lucky a woman would be to be loved by him. She would have to fight his way into his heart, but Cosette imagined that once the woman got there, he would never let her go. Yes, the woman would have to work hard for his love, but the love she would receive would be tremendous. Cosette tried writing a story about the boy, but she knew so little that she could never get very far. Perhaps she would ask Marius about the boy. It was strange to her how two men could so wholly occupy her mind. One filled her mind for her love, and the other occupied it for her curiosity. She could still see those piercing blue eyes when she fell asleep and through all her daydreams, she always wondered, "Who was that boy?"

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><p>Enjolras only caught a brief glimpse of her, but she hypnotized him almost instantaneously. The young girl who had stood on the other side of the square, walking with a man he supposed to be her father, had captured his attention as well as Marius'. God, Enjolras had almost had enough of Marius' lovesick rambling, but at the same time, he drank up all the information he could. He knew what the girl looked like, and from Marius' stories, he learned that the girl's name was Cosette. "Cosette…" Enjolras tasted the name softly, letting the word run over his tongue when he was alone. What a beautiful name, almost equaling the name that had ensnared his mind so often as of late: Patria. Cosette, though, was a different name from Patria. To Enjolras, Patria was an all consuming love, a wonder and passion that controlled his every movement and thought. Cosette, though, was softer, gentler. It sounded like an angel, something delicate that had to be kept locked away to stay away from the impurities of the world. Patria and Cosette, two very beautiful names that tumbled through the chaos of Enjolras' mind.<p>

Enjolras took pride in order. He was a law student, after all, and now a revolutionary. He liked everything to be neat and orderly, especially in his mind. Patria's entrance to his thoughts had strengthened this resolve, and the order was needed even more for his mission to help her. But then came Cosette, the beautiful girl with the golden hair and angel blue eyes. His mind turned to chaos as he tried to come to terms with the girl. He had no peg to hang her on, no way to compartmentalize her. Perhaps she was the ideal that he searched for, or perhaps she was the epitome of what he fought against. He did not wish the latter to be true, because in a sense, he had liked what he saw. Not only in her appearance, which seemed to be one of the main items in Marius' case for her love, but for her. Enjolras had managed to briefly make eye contact with her before her father pulled her away, and he was baffled by what he saw. He rarely ever got confused, but the innocence in her eyes was so tremendous that it nearly destroyed him in his inability to comprehend it. He had seen kindness, love and an inner naiveté that was staggering. Was there really that much happiness in the world? Enjolras had not seen it. He did not see it at his school much, nor did he see it with the lower classes. He wondered what could cause such happiness, and with a twinkling of envy, he wondered if he could attain it.

Yes, Enjolras understood what Marius had meant by "the world could be changed with just one burst of light". Enjolras knew the feeling well from Patria. Patria was his only mistress, his only love, and there was nothing that he wouldn't do for his country. However, with the brief sight of Cosette came a new question: is it possible to love a country and a woman? Can the heart hold that much love for more than one objective? For all the planning of the barricade and the battle, Enjolras spent hours that could be spent on sleep or tactics pondering those questions. He finally wrote down something that helped him think: "It is strange how the entrance of one woman can turn my world into something greater, filled with purpose, but yet, the entrance of another can turn that world upside down."

He wondered one night as he lay in his bed, his clothes folded on the chair beside him, a book of law laying on his chest, and his mind tossing, "I know of Cosette, and of what she did to Marius. But who is she, and what has she done to me?"

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><p>Cosette knew that it was a stupid thing to do, she would be in deep trouble with Papa for it, but on an impulse, she did it anyways. She put on a simple brown dress, the simplest she had; borrowed one of Papa's coats, the big brown coat that looked like a policeman's coat; removed all her jewelry, even her cross, which had pained her to do; tied her hair up under a hat; and snuck out of her house. She scaled the fence, nearly cutting her leg on one of the spikes, and followed the signs to the Rue de Vilette. That was where her Marius would be tonight, and she wanted to see him one last time before she left. She walked through the streets cautiously, ducking behind buildings and trying not to giggle. This was so much fun! She had dreamed of sneaking through the city at night like Aladdin after reading "Arabian Nights". Now, though, as she heard the guns fire, she knew that this was not like Aladdin at all. Aladdin did not have the best army in the country on top of him. She ran faster, praying to God with all her heart as she ran that she would not have to see her Marius die.<p>

When she finally reached the barricade, she crouched behind the wall of a shop in an alley. Her frightened blue eyes stared at the barricade, searching for the face of her beloved. There wasn't a soul standing there, apart from a man who seemed to be standing guard. He had messy brown hair was partially hidden by the greatcoat he wore over his clothes. Cosette rubbed her arms, shivering even through the coat in the cold night. She saw the rifle pressed close to his chest, but noted the slight shiver of his hands. He shook and then he straightened, the tremors gone. She moved a little to try and get a better look at him, but she accidentally kicked a board and the boy's head whipped to face her.

Cosette stared at the boy at the barricade. Before she saw the open coat that showed his red vest, she locked eyes with him and knew it was he, the boy in the red vest from the square. There was no way that she could forget those haunting eyes. She shook her head, trying to shake the dream away, and realized that her hair had fallen out of her hat. She tried to fix it to hide herself, but heard a voice call her name and she nearly had a heart attack. "Cosette?"

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><p>Enjolras nearly slapped himself after he called her name and she jumped like a frightened rabbit <em>"Stupid boy, she doesn't even know who you are. THINK BEFORE YOU SPEAK!"<em> Watch had been uneventful as the rest of the men slept. They needed the rest badly, especially Marius. He was absolutely tired to the bone, and he looked depressed. Enjolras felt sorry for Cosette if Marius died out here and she never got to see him. He had been shocked seeing the girl in the alley, and he realized that it was Cosette. He stepped forward to the edge of the barricade, keeping a watchful eye on the street ahead. "You are Cosette, aren't you?" He repeated softly.

"Yes." She whispered back, and Enjolras nearly trembled at her voice. It was so full of sweetness and innocence even in her fear. No wonder Marius rambled about a voice like angels. Enjolras mentally slapped himself again. "Focus, man, focus!" She stepped forward to the edge of the barricade, looked up at him curiously, and she said softly, "I know you. I saw you in the square the day I met Marius."

Enjolras' heart soared for a second. "She remembers me." He nodded tersely and said, "Yes, I am. Marius speaks highly of you. My name is Enjolras." He knelt briefly and kissed her hand.

"I did not recognize you without the vest." She laughed softly. Enjolras opened the coat to show her the red vest in question, and she laughed again. Her laughter sounded like bells, and Enjolras felt himself swoon again. Then, her eyes filled with fear. "Where is my Marius? He isn't…dead, is he?"

Enjolras stared at her blankly. For a few seconds, he forgot who Marius was. "Who?"

Cosette made a little moaning noise and clasped his hand. "Oh dear God, please let my Marius be alive!"

Enjolras' heart broke as he saw the love in her eyes and with a swallow, he assured her, "Have no fear, mademoiselle. He is merely asleep, as the rest of the men are. I keep the watch." He looked back behind the barricade and noticed all the men with their guns fast asleep. He saw Marius, a frown on his face even while asleep, and imagined how Marius felt before he had fallen asleep.

She smiled, and leaning over the barricade, she hugged him. "Thank you, monsieur. Thank you so much!"

Enjolras merely blinked, and awkwardly hugged her back. God, she was so warm, and she smelt of vanilla. He could stand here for hours with her in his arms. Then, he lifted her over the barricade and tugged her down behind it. "I appreciate your concern for Marius, mademoiselle," he hissed, "but this is not a safe place to be. I implore you, return home at once. It would be a sad day for such a beauty to fall on the barricade."

She looked at him, her beautiful blue eyes wide. Her lips quivered for a second, but then she curled up against the barricade. "It is not safe here…but I feel safe. When I hear guns, I will leave."

"Either you are very brave, or very foolish, mademoiselle." Enjolras chuckled, his heart lightening. "But merci. It gets lonely out here." He sat down across from her, leaning against a bag of sand, facing her and the street at the same time. He cocked the rifle and set it beside him, ready if anyone came. He watched the girl in front of him, and smiled. "Marius is lucky to have a woman such as you in his life."

Cosette blushed deeply, and whispered, "Merci, monsieur. But how do you know?"

"Marius speaks both very highly of you and very often. Everything that he knows about you, almost everyone on this barricade knows as well. Even Gavroche knows, and he is only eleven."

Cosette giggled, and took off her hat. The blonde curls tumbled down her shoulders and Enjolras could barely hide the widening of his eyes. Was there anything that this girl did that was not appealing? Cosette said softly, "Why are you on the barricade? I do not understand why you fight. I heard you speak in the square, but I don't know what you meant. Will you tell me?"

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><p>Cosette wanted to clap her hands over her mouth. Why did she say something so rash? Papa would be ashamed at her lack of manners here, and she felt her cheeks inflame even more. But instead of chastising her, the boy called Enjolras smiled at her, but it was a sad smile. "Marius did not tell you?" He said softly, his voice still strong as she had heard before but filled with some pain that she did not understand. She shook her head, and his back straightened. His eyes began to flash with the light that she remembered from the square. "Why do we fight?" He repeated her question. He reached over to grip the gun, and said sharply, "We fight to be equal. The government is failing its people in everything that we were promised. People are starving, there is chaos in the streets, and no one is doing anything to help fix it." His voice was getting louder and Cosette heard the passion fill his words just like it had in the square. "Why should some people have everything and others have nothing? We are all French, children of our mother country. Mothers do not favor some children more than others, so why should we? We fight to remind people of this, and for those who cannot speak or be heard. We fight for Patria, our mother; for justice; and against the imposter that stands in her stead. We fight for a better world, for all people and for France!"<p>

Cosette stared at Enjolras, her eyes wide, and her mouth hanging open. Enjolras was panting slightly with pent up emotion, his eyes sparkling with anger, although he kept his eyes on her. She thought about what he said, thinking over all his words. It was a few minutes before she spoke. "You are right. That does not seem fair." She thought, and then spoke again. "But still, some mothers do favor children. The oldest often get the better things, and the more opportunities. Sometimes, it's for the younger ones. At least, that's what books tell me. However, it is not fair at all. You fight for a good thing, Enjolras."

His eyes lit up with hope and he breathed out, "Thank you, Cosette."

"These men are lucky to have a leader like you." She smiled, reaching across and touching his hand. Enjolras looked from his hand to her, then back again. He touched her hand with his other one, and looked into her eyes. There was something in his eyes that she could not fathom, and she smiled at him. "You are a brave man."

"Merci, mademoiselle." He said softly. He removed his hand from hers and placed it over his heart. "The women in my life have been so kind to me. Patria has always been there, and I love her with everything that I can feel. There is nothing that I would not do for my country. Then, you have been kind. Marius is lucky to have a woman like you."

"You have no love for other women?" She asked, her voice curious. She had expected a man as handsome and passionate as he to have many women following him.

He smirked. "Women, for some strange reason, follow me around like lost puppies. I do not care for them. My heart is only for Patria."

Cosette smiled. "Have you ever tried to share your heart? Love both Patria and a woman?"

Enjolras looked confused, and then his whole face fell. He rested his head in his hands, and his shoulders shook. Cosette started and went to touch him when he let out a moan of despair. "Why should I start now? I've led us all to death for an impossible cause. We will die on this barricade all for a fool's errand, and it's all my fault." He shook his head and moaned again. "I've condemned my friends to death!"

His shoulders shook and Cosette felt her heart pound in a strange way. She felt so sorry for this boy, for what his heart's desire had done to him even though he still vehemently believed in it. She leaned forward and touched his hand. He looked up at her, his eyes brimming with restrained tears, and she squeezed it tightly. "You are not a fool, Enjolras. This has not been done in vain. People will always remember what you did, and they will stay strong for you. I know it."

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><p>Enjolras felt his heart pound as he looked at her. She didn't understand why he fought, nor did she know the feeling of condemning men to death, but somehow, she understood him, and that made him feel happier than he believed possible. His lips tugged upward in a sad smile and he whispered, "Merci, mademoiselle." His heart broke and he whispered, "You know something, mademoiselle? Now, I feel ready to die."<p>

Her blue eyes widened and she said, "You should not want to die, Enjolras!" She squeezed his hand even tighter and shook it. Tears were brimming in her eyes as she spoke. "You should not!"

He sat up and squeezed her hand. "Believe me, mademoiselle, I do not wish to die." His voice trembled as he said that. "But if I must, I am willing to, and I would leave this world with no regrets." He paused for a second. Did he really have no regrets? "Except for one thing."

"What is that, Enjolras?" Cosette said, a little smile dancing on her face even though a single tear tumbled down her cheek. Enjolras caught it with a finger and stared at it.

"It is a strange feeling to have a woman cry for me." He murmured softly, so quiet she could not hear, and he looked up at her. "What I regret is that I never did let a woman into my heart. I never have been kissed."

"Never?" Cosette stared at him, another tear dripping down her cheek. She wiped it away with a finger and sniffed.

Enjolras shook his head. "Never. I have never felt a woman's love, other than my Patria's. That is my only regret."

Cosette's head tilted, and she looked as though she was thinking. Enjolras wiped another tear from her cheek and looked at it. She was crying for him, her sorrow at his death so touching that he felt his heart pound. He felt sorry for her, and he sent a prayer up to God to please let Marius survive so Cosette would not be heartbroken. Finally Cosette made a little noise and said, "Perhaps you can be."

Enjolras looked at her. Her brow was furrowed and her lips were pursed in a manner that made them look utterly kissable. He shook his head as both an answer and a way to wake himself up. _"No, I cannot kiss Cosette. She belongs to Marius, not to me."_ He shook his head again and said, "In this short amount of time before I die, no. I would love to, but I can't."

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><p>Cosette made several prayers after Enjolras spoke. She prayed to God to forgive her, for Marius to forgive her, and that Enjolras would not throw her away. This was the riskiest thing that she had ever dared do, never mind sneaking out of the house. She leaned forward, and stroked his cheek with her hand. He unconsciously leaned into her touch, and leaning even further forward, she whispered into his ear, "Maybe you can."<p>

"How is that possible?" He muttered, his voice rough as he stroked the hand that rested on his face. His eyes were shut and Cosette smiled.

"Perhaps God is having a little fun with us, Enjolras." She said tenderly, tilting his chin up so he would look her in the eye. "You have never left my mind since I saw you in the square. I recognized you at the barricade the moment I looked at you. I could never forget your eyes."

Enjolras sighed. "I could not stop thinking about you after that day. I listened to everything Marius said about you, and I was jealous of him for getting to know you better than I could." He looked at her, and recognition dawned in his eyes. "Cosette, what are you doing?"

"I think there is a reason why I could not forget you, Enjolras." She soothed him. Cupping his face in her hands, she whispered, "And this is why." With a deep breath, she closed her eyes, leaned forward, and kissed him. He smelt like sweat and gunpowder, and his lips were different than Marius'. Enjolras' lips were chapped, tasting faintly of liquor, but were impossibly gentle. The kiss was one-sided, gentle and chaste, but the emotion that she needed to convey was there. She wanted him to know that she did feel some love for him, that he would not leave this world unloved by a woman. The muscles in his face grew taut, and she pulled back to look at him, his ice blue eyes a maelstrom of shock and joy. He was breathing hard, his cheeks flushed, and gaping at her. His hands had somehow drifted to her shoulders, and he looked at her. His lips quirked upward into a smile, tears in his eyes. With one movement, he grasped the back of her head, pulled her close and with a noise of happiness, kissed her again.

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><p>Enjolras was in heaven.<p>

Cosette was kissing him. Yes, he ought to feel ashamed that he was kissing his best friend's love, but how could he not feel happy in her arms? She tasted like freedom and honey, with something else he could not put a finger to. It felt good to have her in his arms, and his fingers intertwined through her hair felt glorious. He held her tighter, and he kissed her as hard as he could. She made a little noise of happiness, and her fingers stroked his cheeks. Her fingers trailed down his neck, and she ran her fingers through his hair at the edge of it. Enjolras made a noise under his breath, and he moaned against her lips, "Cosette. Oh Dear God, Cosette."

"Enjolras…" She whispered, and his heart soared as high as heaven itself. The way she said his name, her voice so sweet and tender. Finally, he pulled away from her and stared at her, breathing hard. Her cheeks were beautifully flushed and a half smile danced across her lips. She whispered, "Will you leave this world unloved now?"

"No." He breathed out slowly, a huge smile sliding across his face. He moved his hand over and stroked her cheek tenderly. "Thank you so much, Cosette. From the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

Cosette smiled, and gave him a big hug. He snuggled into her shoulder, listening to her heart beating. She whispered softly, "Will God forgive me for doing this without Marius' knowledge?"

Enjolras took her face in his hands and looked her in the eye. "You just gave a condemned man his final wish. I have a good feeling that God will forgive you, Cosette my dear."

A new smile lit up her face, even greater than the one that graced his own. She ran her fingers through his hair, her fingers playing with the strands above his ear, and his eyes burned with both sadness and love. It had taken him this long to admit that he had indeed let another woman into his heart, but now there was only a short amount of time to treasure her before Fate dealt him his last hand. He wrapped his arms around her, and pressed her close to him. "Enjolras?" She whispered.

"Yes, Cosette?"

"May I stay with you, until the army comes?" She whispered, biting her lip.

Enjolras could not help but smile. "Of course."

They sat there for what felt like hours. She leaned against him, her hands on her lap, and her head on his shoulder. He wrapped one arm around her shoulders, and the other rested on his rifle. He talked softly, telling her some of the speeches that he would say at the ABC Café, and she listened patiently. Cosette was no university student, but she asked him intelligent questions, which he was more than glad to answer. She told him about her life, and he told her about his. He found himself lost in his words, again enraptured by Patria's plight, but when he paused and found his way back, Cosette was waiting for him. He wished fervently that this moment would last forever, but the noise of men moving behind him made him jump. "Cosette, you must go!" He whispered, pushing her away. "The guard will be coming soon if they see that we are awake."

Cosette looked behind her and whispered, "You and Marius take care of yourselves, alright?"

His heart swelled and nodded. "We will, Cosette. Now go!"

She kissed his cheek, and moved away as quick as she could. Enjolras watched her go, and saw her disappear down an alley. He looked around, and found his heart plummet as none of the people had come to help. He rose to his feet and moved back to the rest of his friends. In his heart pulsed the feeling of a woman's love, and now he could move on with the revolution.

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><p>Cosette did not run away. She hid in the alley and watched everyone there. Her eyes followed Enjolras and Marius as they revived their spirits. She heard the soldiers yell, she saw the young boy called Gavroche die trying to help their cause, and she saw them all fight with all the passion they could give. Part of her told her to flee, to get back home to where she would be safe and sound, away from this battle. However, another part of her willed her to stay, to see what a battle was really like, and to see if Marius or Enjolras died on the barricade. She watched, and when she saw the men fall, she screamed in silence. She saw Marius fall and tears came to her eyes. But it was when Enjolras fell, holding the flag of rebellion, her heart broke and she sobbed. She turned and fled back to her home, her heart aching for the two boys at the barricade. Her heart belonged to the first who fell, but the eyes of the second, before they closed forever, had looked directly at her. It was only a brief glimpse of that breathtaking blue, filled with hope and passion, but even a glimpse was enough to haunt her for the rest of her life.<p> 


End file.
